The word, punish, in King James Version, is a translation from several Hebrew and Greek words.  Punish can mean many things, but chastise has a correctional meaning.  It has been given by revelation that all the judgments of God are remedial. When God punishes, it is a correction.  A better translation would be correct or chastise, simply because it is more precise.  Of course, punish can mean to get even, too, but that is not the meaning of Scripture.  God does not send the wicked to eternal punishment to satisfy a need in God.  That whole theory is based on some bad translations and the human need to "get even."  The fleshly nature of man has great pleasure in the death, ethernal death, of those that we perceive as wicked. 

God has a plan to restore the entire creation to Himself.  This does not mean that there will not be a hell.  And in no way does it imply that hell will not be terrible. This information is not to be confused with Universalism, which does two other unscriptural things.  Universalism removes the need to accept Christ as Savior--that would make the Bible ridiculous.  Universalism removes hell--that conflicts with Scripture, also.  Universalism is a cult.

The Scripture says:

"Say to them; "As I live,' says the Lord God, "I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?"  Ezekiel 33:1

and

"For he doth not afflict willingly nor grieve the children of men. "  Lamentations 3:33

and

"Who [God] will have all men to be saved, and to come to the knowledge of the truth." 1 Timothy 2:4

Looking into the original language, there is no contradiction to this Scripture, but looking into the majority of the theological theories of man, there are many contradictions to this verse of Scripture.  When theology conflicts with Scripture, get rid of the theology.

Note: Revelation is always the way that the Bible is understood.  Many scholars try to figure it out using the human mind.  However, the natural mind cannot receive the revelation of God.  The Bible gives a prescription for revelation in Ephesians 3:5.  It says that these things are revealed to the apostles and prophets. [read more]  The office of apostle has been restored to the Church.  At the same time, all sorts of false apostles have sprung into being, but that is the work of the enemy.  Those who are true apostles move is unity with one another.  None of them teaches his or her own doctrine.  The doctrine that they have received has been revelation that has always been according to the Holy Scripture.  In fact, it seems that in every instance the revelation has been that the Bible actually means exactly what it says. That should not be surprising.  What also is not surprising is that so many so-called scholars spend their days dreaming up reasons that the Bible does not mean what it says. Many of those Scholars take a position as if they themselves were the chief apostle and everyone should listen to them.

03256 רסי yacar yaw-sar'
AV-chastise 21 instruct 8, correct 7, taught 2, bound 1, punish 1, reformed 1, reproveth 1, sore 1; 43
1) to chasten, discipline, instruct, admonish
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to chasten, admonish
1a2) to instruct
1a3) to discipline
1b) (Niphal) to let oneself be chastened or corrected or admonished
1c) (Piel)
1c1) to discipline, correct
1c2) to chasten, chastise
1d) (Hiphil) to chasten
1e) (Nithpael) to teach


05221 ×”×›×  nakah naw-kaw'
a primitive root; v; {See TWOT on 1364}
AV-smite 348, slay 92, kill 20, beat 9, slaughter 5, stricken 3, given 3, wounded 3, strike 2, stripes 2, misc 13; 500
1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill
1a) (Niphal) to be stricken or smitten
1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust
1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast)
1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage
1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy
1d) (Hophal) to be smitten
1d1) to receive a blow
1d2) to be wounded
1d3) to be beaten
1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain
1d5) to be attacked and captured
1d6) to be smitten (with disease)
1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
 
06064 שׁנע 'anash aw-nash'
a primitive root; v; {See TWOT on 1659}
AV-punish 5, condemned 2, amerce 1, surely 1; 9
1) to fine, amerce, punish, condemn, mulct
1a) (Qal) to fine, punish
1b) (Niphal) to be fined, be punished, be mulcted
 
06485 דקפ paqad paw-kad'
a primitive root; v; {See TWOT on 1802
AV-number 119, visit 59, punish 31, appoint 14, commit 6, miss 6, set 6, charge 5, governor 5, lack 4, oversight 4, officers 4, counted 3, empty 3, ruler 3, overseer 3, judgment 2, misc 28; 305
v
1) to attend to, muster, number, reckon, visit, punish, appoint, look after, care for
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to pay attention to, observe
1a2) to attend to
1a3) to seek, look about for
1a4) to seek in vain, need, miss, lack
1a5) to visit
1a6) to visit upon, punish
1a7) to pass in review, muster, number
1a8) to appoint, assign, lay upon as a charge, deposit
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be sought, be needed, be missed, be lacking
1b2) to be visited
1b3) to be visited upon
1b4) to be appointed
1b5) to be watched over
1c) (Piel) to muster, call up
1d) (Pual) to be passed in review, be caused to miss, be called, be  called to account
1e) (Hiphil)
1e1) to set over, make overseer, appoint an overseer
1e2) to commit, entrust, commit for care, deposit
1f) (Hophal)
1f1) to be visited
1f2) to be deposited
1f3) to be made overseer, be entrusted
1g) (Hithpael) numbered
1h) (Hothpael) numbered
 
07489 עער ra'a' raw-ah'
a primitive root; v; {See TWOT on 2191} {See TWOT on 2192}
AV-evil 20, evildoer 10, hurt 7, wickedly 5, worse 5, afflict 5, wicked 4, break 3, doer 3, ill 3, harm 3, displease 2, misc 13; 83
1) to be bad, be evil
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be displeasing
1a2) to be sad
1a3) to be injurious, be evil
1a4) to be wicked, be evil (ethically)
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to do an injury or hurt
1b2) to do evil or wickedly
1b3) mischief (participle)
2) to break, shatter
2a) (Qal)
2a1) to break
2a2) broken (participle)
2a3) to be broken
2b) (Hithpolel) to be broken, be broken in pieces, be broken asunder
 
2849 κολαζω kolazo kol-ad'-zo
from kolos (dwarf); TDNT-3:814,451; v
AV-punish 2; 2
1) to lop or prune, as trees and wings
2) to curb, check, restrain
3) to chastise, correct, punishment
4) to cause to be punished
 
05771 ןוע 'avon aw-vone' or ןווע 'avown (#2Ki 7:9; Ps 51:5) aw-vone'
from 05753; n m; {See TWOT on 1577 @@ "1577a"}
AV-iniquity 220, punishment 5, fault 2, Iniquities + 01697 1, mischief 1, sin 1; 230
1) perversity, depravity, iniquity, guilt or punishment of iniquity
1a) iniquity
1b) guilt of iniquity, guilt (as great), guilt (of condition)
1c) consequence of or punishment for iniquity
 
02403 האטח chatta'ah khat-taw-aw' or תאטח chatta'th khat-tawth'
from 02398; n f; {See TWOT on 638 @@ "638e"}
AV-sin 182, sin offering 116, punishment 3, purification for sin 2, purifying 1, sinful 1, sinner 1; 296
1) sin, sinful
2) sin, sin offering
2a) sin
2b) condition of sin, guilt of sin
2c) punishment for sin
2d) sin-offering
2e) purification from sins of ceremonial uncleanness
 
06466 לעפ pa'al paw-al'
a primitive root; v; {See TWOT on 1792}
AV-work 19, workers 19, do 10, make 4, commit 1, doers 1, Maker 1, ordaineth 1; 56
1) to do, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do
1a2) to make
 
02399 אטח chet' khate
from 02398; n m; {See TWOT on 638 @@ "638a"}
AV-sin 30, faults 1, grievously 1, offenses 1; 33
1) sin
1a) sin
1b) guilt for sin
1c) punishment for sin
 
06066 שׁנע 'onesh o'- nesh
from 06064; n m; {See TWOT on 1659 @@ "1659a"}
AV-tribute 1, punishment 1; 2
1)     fine, penalty, indemnity
 
2851 κολασις kolasis kol'-as-is
from 2849; TDNT-3:816,451; n f
AV-punishment 1, torment 1; 2
1) correction, punishment, penalty
For Synonyms see entry 5859 & 5909
 
2009 επιτιμια epitimia ep-ee-tee-mee'-ah
from a compound of 1909 and 5092; TDNT-2:627,249; n f
AV-punishment 1; 1
 
1) punishment
5098 τιμωρια timoria tee-mo-ree'-ah
from 5097;; n f
AV-punishment 1; 1
1) a rendering help
2) assistance
3) vengeance, punishment, penalty
For Synonyms see entry 5859 & 5909